Habitual Entrepreneurs (2008)

Habitual Entrepreneurs focuses on the business ownership experience as an important defining feature of entrepreneurship. Variations in business ownership experience have led to the distinction between experienced ('habitual') entrepreneurs and first-time ('novice') entrepreneurs. Habitual Entrepreneurs focuses on entrepreneurs who have the potential to leverage their business ownership experience in subsequent ventures. Habitual entrepreneurs are compared to novice entrepreneurs who do not have any prior business ownership experience to draw upon. The authors examine the theory and evidence relating to different 'types' of entrepreneurs with specific focus on the level and nature of their prior business ownership experience. Habitual Entrepreneurs examines the scale of habitual entrepreneurship and uses insights from human capital theory and cognitive theories to present a theoretical case for distinguishing between different types of entrepreneurs with reference to their prior business ownership experience. Despite recent research progress, several gaps in the knowledge base relating to the habitual entrepreneur still exist and avenues for future research are presented.